Shuttering means and apparatus for the casting of underwater structures



Jan. 16, 1968 A, BARBER ET AL 3,363,8 73 SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUSFOR THE CASTING OF UNDERWATER STRUCTURES 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1,1965 INVENTORS A MB fl m R E W 6W 0 RN m T n n T B R NA M fiL I Jami-6,1968 A. BARBER ET 3,

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Jan. 16, 1968 A. BARBER. ET AL 3,363,873

SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OF UNDERWATER STRUCTURESFiled June 1, 1965 e Sheets- Sheet 4 TToreIvEs s Jan 16, 1968- A. BARBERET AL 3,363,873 1 SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OFUNDERWATER STRUCTURES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 1, 1965 INVENTORS Oh E8 R 0m N V N R0 EH L W n am A u L Jan. 16, 1968 BARBER ET AL 3,363,873

SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OF UNDERWATER STRUCTURESFiled June 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ALAN BARBER ZX D WILLl/JM f/VTHONVBHRBEE A TTORNIFYS United States Patent 3,363,873 SHUTTERIN G MEANS ANDAPPARATUS FOR THE CASTING 0F UNDERWATER STRUCTURES Alan Barber andWilliam Anthony Barber, both of Highfield Farm, Higher Road, Halewood,Lancashire, England Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,298 Claimspriority, application Great Britain, June 2, 1965, 22,701/ 65 6 Claims.(Cl. 249-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present apparatus is for usein the casting of under water or partially submerged structures and forthis purpose employs two buoyancy chambers arranged in spaced apartposition, a superstructure connecting and supported by said buoyancychambers which superstructure has downwardly extending sub-frames,carrier frames linked to opposed inner sides of said sub-frames. Mainshuttering elements are mounted on said carrier frames and means areprovided for advancing and retracting said carrier frames to move saidshuttering into and out of operative position and there is also meansfor admitting and exhausting water to and from said buoyancy chambers.

Description This invention relates to the construction of under Water,or partially submerged, structures, as for example sea walls, ofconcrete and the like, and has for its object to provide new or improvedshuttering means and apparatus whereby the casting of concrete and thelike below water will be expedited. A further object is to provideshuttering or apparatus which will enable an underwater structure to beconstructed in a substantially continuous manner.

Broadly, according to the invention, shuttering apparatus for thepurpose pecified comprises a superstructure or frame supported by aseries of buoyancy chambers or tanks, shuttering elements carried bysaid apparatus and adapted for movement into and out of operativeposition, and means for admitting and exhausting water to and from saidbuoyancy chambers. Thus arranged, the complete apparatus is adapted tobe floated into required position and then ballasted by the admittanceof Water to the buoyant units thereof so that the lower edges of themoulding faces of the shuttering abut or may be abutted against the bedupon which the structure is to be cast. In this position concrete may befilled into the space between the shuttering of the apparatus and whensufficiently set, for example after twenty-four to forty-eight hours,the shuttering may be struck from the cast structure, the apparatusrendered buoyant by pumping water therefrom and then moved forward andre-settled for a subsequent casting operation in continuation of thealready formed structure. The shuttering elements carried by theapparatus may be arranged so as to effect simple wall' structures,duplex or cavity walls, piers or the like.

Reinforcement means for the concrete may be introduced to the mouldingspace between the shuttering and can be in the form of prefabricatedunits lowered into position within the moulding spaces and secured byguide means adapted for removal as the concrete is poured. Theshuttering elements are of course configurated in accordance with thework to be carried out and may be of any required size commensurate withbuilding and handling requirements.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanyingexplanatory drawings which illustrate diagrammatically, and by Way ofexample only, one mode of embodiment suitable for the construction of aduplex or cavity type sea wall.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional elevation of apparatus for 5 the casting ofan underwater or partially submerged sea wall structure, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of same.

FIGS. 3 to 10 inclusive illustrate schematically eight stages in thecasting of an underwater wall structure by means of the apparatus ofFIGS. 1 and 2, and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of part of a sea wall structure constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Referring now to said drawings, the apparatus illustrated is designed soas to permit the casting of a submerged or partially submerged structureof concrete, comprising (see more particularly FIG. 11) parallel wallparts 10, 11 having battered sides and which are connected by webs 12thereby to provide a duplex or cavity wall structure.

The apparatus comprises two series of buoyancy chambers or tanks 20, 21which are connected in spaced and parallel relationship by a girderframe or superstructure, generally designated 22, and which comprisesdownwardly extending sub-frame portions 23, 24, 25 on the opposed innerfaces whereof are mounted carrier frames 26, 27, and 28, 29. The saidcarrier frames 26, 27 are connected to the sub-frames 23, 24 bytelescopic members 32, 33 and are adapted to be advanced and retractedtowards and away from each other by means of linkages 30, 31 which maybe operated in any suitable manner e.g. by fluid operable power means,screw-jacks, or the like. Similarly, the carrier frames 28, 29 aresupported by telescopic members 34, 35 and are adapted to be advancedand retracted through the medium of linkages 30, 31.

At each corner of the superstructure there is provided a spud or leg 36which is hydraulically extendable. Said legs are capable of supportingthe entire structure on the sea bed as shown in FIG. I.

Said carrier frames 26-29 carry shuttering elements respectivelydesignated 37, 38, 39, and 40 and these each may be of unitary orfabricated sheet metal construction of a length and breadth suited tothe dimensions of the structure to be cast.

At one end of the apparatus stepped vertical shuttering elements areprovided as at 41, 42 (FIG. 2) adapted to close the space between theends of the co-operating pairs of shuttering elements 37, 38 and 39, 40.At the opposite end of the apparatus transverse shuttering elements 43,44 are provided, the element 43 being supported adjustably by thesuperstructure 22 so a to be extended between the opposed exterior facesof the shuttering ele ments 38, 39. The shuttering unit 44 is supportedso as to be locatable removably between the internal battered sides 10A,11A of an already cast structure as indicated.

To provide additional buoyancy, a series of buoyancy chambers or tanks50 may be provided at the end of the structure carrying the transverseshuttering elements 41, 42.

The method of employing apparatus as above described is as follows:

The apparatus is floated into required position with its buoyancychambers or tanks 20, 21, 5-0 empty (or partially so) and with its mainshuttering elements 37-40 in retracted position as shown in FIG. 3. Whenin appropriate position the tanks are flooded to sink the apparatus torequired depth (FIG. 4) and the feet 36 extended to support thestructure at desired level. The shuttering carrier frames 26-29 are nowextended (FIG. 5) by means of the linkages 30, 31 and the mainshuttering units 37-40 and transverse units 4144 positioned so as toenclose the space to be filled with concrete. At this a) stage, the seabed is scoured to remove sediment and slurry (FIG. 6) by means of highpressure water jets and when this operation has been completed fillingin of the space enclosed by the shuttering can be commenced as shown inFIG. 7.

When the space between the shuttering has been filled to required height(FIG. 8), and the concrete is sufficiently set, the shuttering is struckfrom the cast structure and raised clear of the now completed wallsection (as X, FIG. 11). The tanks 20, 21, 50 are blown or pumped out,the legs 36 raised (FIG. 10) and the apparatus floated clear preparatoryto being positioned for the casting of a subsequent wall section.

It will be seen that the apparatus can be employed simultaneously tocast two parallel wall portions 10, 11 with a connecting web 12, and maybe moved forward step by step as each section X sets in order to permitof the casting of subsequent and mating continuations of said wallsections. The cavities of said sections may be filled with aninexpensive ballast material, or, if desired, piles may be driven intothe sea bed within the areas defined by the wall sections 10, 11 and 12and be surrounded by a layer of concrete adapted to bond said piles tothe wall sections. The use of large quantities of ballast to create afoundation prior to the casting of an underwater structure may thus beavoided.

The superstructure 22 connecting, and supported by, the buoyancychambers or tanks 20, 21 and 50 may be decked in and comprise or containor house pump means for operating high pressure jets for scavenging andsoftening sea bed silt and soil preparatory to the pouring of theconcrete; and sludge pumps, grabs or other equipment also may beprovided for cleaning out and otherwise preparing the sea bed within theconfines of the shuttering elements. Flexible or articulated chutes maybe provided for directing concrete between the moulding faces of theshuttering and concrete mixing means also may be carried by saidsuperstructure. If desired the apparatus may have means whereby it willbe self-propelled and include living quarters or shelter for theoperators.

In an alternative mode of embodiment, the inner opposed faces of theco-operating buoyancy chambers or tanks may be configurated and arrangedso as to constitute moulding faces or shuttering means between which, inuse, concrete may be poured and allowed to set. Such inner mouldingfaces may be arranged so as to extend below the bottoms of the buoyancyunits.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. Apparatus for use in the casting of underwater or partially submergedstructures, comprising at least two buoyancy chambers arranged in spaceddisposition, a superstructure connecting and supported by said buoyancychambers and comprising downwardly extending sub-frames, carrier frameslinked to the opposed inner sides of said sub-frames, main shutteringelements mounted on said carrier frames, means for advancing andretracting said carrier frames thereby to move said shuttering into andout of the operative position, and mean for admitting and exhaustingwater to and from said buoyancy chambers.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said superstructure isarranged adjustably to support transverse shuttering elements forcooperating with said main shuttering elements.

3. Apparatus as claimedin claim 2, wherein the transverse shutteringelements at one end of the apparatus are of stepped configurationthereby to provide end surfaces in a cast structure adapted to mate withcooperating ends of succeeding cast structures in substantiallycontinuous manner.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said apparatus is adapted tobe supported by extendable feet or legs.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said superstructure isadapted so as to support pressure jets, pumps, grabs, concrete mixingmeans and chutes for use in the construction of underwater structures,and quarters for the operators.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for advancing andretracting the shuttering carrier frames into and out of the operativeposition are power operated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,409,422 2/1922 Squire et al.2491 1,615,069 1/1927 Brynoldt 24910 X 1,947,413 2/1934 Hay 24912,029,004 1/1939 Varni 2491 X 2,935,854 5/1960 Thompson et al. 61-462,972,234 2/1961 SuderOW 61-52 2,979,910 4/1961 Crake 61-46 3,097,4937/1963 Blankevoort 6146 X FOREIGN PATENTS 694,259 9/1930 France.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner.

